Feeding trough for fowl



. Jan. 23, 1951 G. DUHMERT L 2,539,299

FEEDING TROUGH FOR FOWL Filed'May 14, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l -IN V ENTOR.

' 5 GE D Du M 1- 5 1 a, NHAR H ER -l-L- ATTORNEY Jan. 23," 1951 a;DUHMERT FEEDING TROUGH FOR FOWL Filed May 14, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR GENHARD DUHMERT 'BY a6,

ATTORNEY G. DUHMERT I FEEDING TROUGH FOR FOWL Jan. 23, 1951 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 14, v 1947 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1951UNITED STATES,PATENT OFFICE FEEDING TROUGH FOR FOWL Genhard Duhmert,Carmel, N. J.

Application May 14, 1947, Serial N0. 747,908

2 Claims.

. This invention relates to an improved feeding trough for fowl, andembraces the construction of a unit having means for raising the troughabove the ground or floor to correspond with the growth of the fowl, andmeans for simultaneously increasing the capacity of the trough andelevating the reel supported over the trough,

. the whole being constructed and organized so that only a singleadjustment at each end of the unit is required to adapt it for theincrease in height and capacity to absorb feed which comes with naturalgrowth.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a trough withend legs which are adjustable on the ends of the trough and side wallextensions which are connected to the end legs so that when the end legsare adjusted the side wall extensions will also be adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneouslyraising the overhead reel when the legs are adjusted to increase theelevation of the trough.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combined unit,including the feeding trough, supporting legs, and reel end supports,with sliding lever connections, so designed and organized that by movinthe outer ends of the legs to lower positions the reel end supports willbe raised and the side wall extensions will be elevated, so that thecapacity of the trough is proportionately increased as the trough israised to a higher elevation, together with a single clamping means ateach end of the unit, whereby all moving parts are clamped by oneturning operation in their adjusted position.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnew and useful combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts,clearly described in the following specification, and shown in thedrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved poultry feeding trough.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the vertical line 3--3of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows, and shown broken away forconvenience.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, showing the legs adjusted to maximum heightof the feeding trough.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the legs adjusted for placing thebottom of the feeding trough in engagement with the ground, certainparts being broken away.

Fig. '7 is a detail side view of the adjustable reel support.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a horizontallyshiftable barrier plate construction.

Fig. 9 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side view, showing the position of the endfinger of the barrier plate.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment ofthe invention, 5 designates a feeding trough which is preferablyconstructed of sheet metal, and is provided with a bottom wall 6,upwardly and outwardly inclined side walls 1 and 8, and end walls 9 andIn, which have inclined side edges to match the inclination of the sidewalls 1 and 8, and which extend a considerable distance above the sidewalls. All of these walls are rigidly connected to each other.

The end Wall 9 is provided with a screw II, and the end wall I0 isprovided with a screw I2. Each screw is provided with a button head l3,and a square shank portion [3a, which holds the screw against turning inits end wall. The screws are located in the end walls about midway ofthe upper and lower ends of the end wall, in a common horizontal plane,and centered with reference to the side edges of the end walls.

Against the end wall 9 a vertical reel support 14, in the approximateshape of an inverted T, as shown in Fig. 7, is disposed. The central orvertical stem l5 of this reel support is formed with a longitudinal slotHi to receive the shank of the screw 12. One side arm I! of this reelsupport is provided with a terminal lug Fla and the other side arm I8 isprovided with a similar terminal lug 18a. A pendant finger I9 is formedon the lower edge of the side arm I! and a pendant finger 20 is formedon the lower edge of side arm [8.

The lower end of the vertical stem l 5 is formed with a struck-out pivotlug 2!, at one corner thereof, and another struck-out pivot lug 22 atthe opposite corner thereof, and a guard lug 23 between these pivot lugsand guard lugs 24 and 25 above these pivot lugs.

The inner end of a leg 26, having a longitudinal slot 21, is slidablyand pivotally mounted on the pivot lug 2|, so that the end thereof engages the upper guard lug 24 and the lower guard lug 23, and slidesunder the pendant the reel support 58.

3 finger [9. The inner end of the slotted leg 28 engages the pivot lug22, and the end thereof engages the upper guard lug 25 and the lowerguard lug 23, and slides under the pendant finger 2|].

The slot 2; of the leg 26 receives the leg pivot 2| of the reel supportl5, and the slot 29 of the leg 28 receives the pivot 22 of the same reelsupport.

Against the inclined side wall 1 a sliding exten,- sion plate 36 isarranged to move, between the inner side of the wall 1 and against theouter side of the inner flange 3| of the end wall 9, at one end of thetrough, and against the outer side of the inner flange 32 of the endwall It at the other end of the trough.

The side wall extension plate 30 is formed with 2. lug 33 on one end anda similar lug 34, on the other end. The lug 33 is received by thediagonal slot 35 of the projecting arm 36 of the lever 37, which is alsoprovided with another diagonal slot 38 to receive the terminal lug Ilaof the arm IT. The slots 35 and 38 are formed on one end of the lever31', and the other and normally upper end of the lever is provided witha pivot hole 39 which receives the struck out lug 4!) of the end wall9,.

Another and similar side wall extension plate M slides against the sidewall 8, and is provided on one end with a lug 42, which is received bythe diagonal slot d3 of the projecting end arm 44 of the lever $5. Thislever is also formed with a diagonal slot 45 which receives the terminallug 18a of the arm l8, and the opposite end of the lever is formed witha pivot hole or slot ll which receives the struck out lug d8 of the endwall 9.

The levers 3? and 35 are disposed in crosswise relation, and are held insliding relation against the end wall 9 by means of the cover plate 69,which is formed with side edge flanges i and 5!, and with struck outlugs 52 and 5-3, which act to limit the spacing of the cover plate fromthe levers 3'! and 45. The screw I I projects through the cover and awing nut i la is threaded on the screw [2 holds these parts in adjustedposition v with the aid of the wing nut in threaded thereon.

The upper end of the reel supporting stem i5 is formed with a bearingslot l5a, which is provided with a large lower end 15b and a downwardlyoffset upper end l5c. The upper end of the stem of the reel support 58is provided with a similar slot 580.. A reel 59, having end trunnions 60and 6! is supported on the upper ends of the reel supports M and 58.Each trunnion is provided with integral collars or heads 62 and 62a,which are spaced apart, and the head or collar 62 is adapted to beinserted in the large lower end l5b and then shifted so that thetrunnion is supported by the upper slot end i5c, of the reel support it,and similarly adjusted on The shanks of the trunnions are slidablymounted in the struck out straps B3 and 311 of the reel, which areformed on the intermediate longitudinal bar or web of the reel. ,75

This reel is shown to be approximately of S-shape form, so as to provideopposite longitudinal bars 65 and 66.

By loosening the wing nuts on the ends of the trough and moving thelevers inwardly and upwardly, and then clamping the wing nuts in place,the outer ends of the slotted legs will be displaced below the bottom ofthe trough, so that various levels of mounting for the trough may beobtained.

When the legs are pushed inwardly, the lugs 57 on the ends of theinclined side walls will keep the legs in close relation to the bottomWall of the trough, these lugs projecting outwardly of the adjacent endwalls, and the side walls are further provided with lugs 67a locatedabove the lugs 61, and the ends of the bottom wall project outwardly toprovide guiding edges for the legs. The lugs 81 slide in thelongitudinal slots of the legs.

As the legs are pushed inwardly their outer ends are swung downwardly,against the projeeting ends 68 of the bottom wall, which thus providefulcrum bearing edges for the legs, now functioning as levers. As theouter end of each leg is forced downwardly its inner end acts to raisethe reel support it is coupled to by the lower lugs of the stem [5 ofthe reel support. As the reel support is thus shifted upwardly, amovement which is possible because of the longitudinal slot 56 of thecentral vertical stem l5 of the reel support, and the shank of the screwwhich projects through this slot, the lug lla of the arm I7, and the lug18a of the arm lt act to raise the outer ends of the crossed levers and37, and as the outer ends of these levers are raised the side wallextensions are raised, and at the same time the upper ends of the reelsupports rise above their lower position, and thereby elevate the reel59.

The elevation of the trough by the lowering of the outer ends of theslotted legs thus causes a proportionate raising of the side wallextension plates, and this proportionately increases the holdingcapacity of the trough, and at the same time the reel 59 is elevatedcorrespondingly.

Due to the interlocking sliding lever connections between the legs, theside wall extension plates and the reel supports, it is impossible toadjust one of these groups of elements without adjusting the othergroups.

Only two clamping centers are provided, so that by clam ing the wing nuton one end of the trough all of the movable parts on that end aresecured in any adjustment made, and by clamping the other wing nut thecorresponding adjustment of the movable elements controlled by it issecured.

By raising the side wall extension plates .the level of the upper edgesof these walls is raised, and by so doing the holding capacity of thetrough is increased; the rigid and non-movable end walls projecting wellabove the rigid side walls I and 8 of the trough, thereby afiordingample elevation to permit of the raising oi the side wall extensionplates to their highest positions or maximum adjustment. 1

In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, I show a development of the invention, whichadapts it for feeding chicks, while preventing them from entering thetrough. Referring to these figures each end wall Inn is provided with aplurality of upstanding integral lugs Nib, which are struck out of hmaterial of which the end wall is made. A group of three of these lugsis provided on each end wall for the side wall extension plate 39a ofeach side of the trough.

Each side wall extension plate 30a is formed on each end with alongitudinal finger 301), which is adapted to snugly fit between any twoadjacent upstanding lugs. These lugs are spaced inwardly of the sidewall of the trough, and are designed to seat on the marginal horizontalflange I00 of each end wall. The side wall extension plate 30a is thussuspended from the upper ends of the end walls, and provides a spacedvertical barrier for the prevention of the entrance of chicks fromeither side of the feeding trough, while allowing ample access to thefeed.

By this horizontal adjustment of the side Wall plates the feeder willgive efficient service to baby chicks. As baby chicks may feed throughthe spaces between the upper edges of the rigid side walls and thesuspended side wall plates, without being able to get into the feederitself. With natural growth of the birds the side wall plates will beremoved from the upstanding lugs b and in the projecting arms of thelever 3'! and 45 (Figs. 1 to 6), thus allowing more access to feed forgrowing birds. These arrangements dispense with the necessity of using adifferent feeder for each age-group of chickens.

In other words the side wall extension plates 301a, remain at theupstanding integral lugs 10b for say about three and a half to fourweeks only. The horizontal adjustment'of the side wall plates give noservice to older birds, as the space between the upper edges of therigid lower side walls and the suspended side wall plates would not belarge enough to accommodate birds over four weeks of age.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, andI do not, therefore, wish to limit myself to the exact constructionshown and described herein.

I What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. In a feeding trough, a T-shaped reel support at each end of thelatter, said reel support providing oppositely extending arms and avertical stem, levers arranged in crosswise relation adjacent to eachreel support and being pivotally connected to the adjacent end of thetrough, side wall plates slidable against the side walls of the trough,the outer ends of said levers being slidably and pivotally connected tosaid side wall plates, the inner ends of the legs and said reel supportbeing slidingly and pivotally connected, and means for clamping eachreel support to its adjacent levers.

2. In a feeding trough, a T-shaped reel support at each end of thelatter, said reel support providing oppositely extending arms and avertical stern, levers arranged in crosswise relation adjacent to eachreel support and being pivotally connected to the adjacent end of thetrough, side wall plates slidable against the side walls of the trough,the outer ends of said levers being slidably and pivotally connected tosaid side wall plates, the inner ends of the legs and said reel supportbeing slidingly and pivotally connected, and means for clamping eachreel support to its adjacent levers, the legs being pivotally connectedto the T-shaped reel supports and adapted to adjust the latter.

GENHARD DUHMERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 53,811 Goudy Apr. 10, 1866582,629 Farr May 18, 1897 718,540 Smith Jan. 13, 1903 1,409,841 Faust eta1 Mar. 14, 1922 1,810,782 Morris June 16, 1931 1,863,983 Hess June 21,1932 1,894,278 Martin Jan. 17, 1933 1,997,029 Abendroth Apr. 9, 19352,136,587 Gaskill Nov. 15, 1938 2,165,968 Hill July 11, 1939 2,308,701Martin Jan. 19, 1943 2,361,598 Calhoon Oct. 31, 1944

